Christmas in the Country canceled, community members show support for Quies family

Derrick Mason Staff writer

Friday

Dec 7, 2018 at 7:21 PMDec 7, 2018 at 7:21 PM

RED OAK — For the past 19 years, Rod and Pat Quies have helped families make memories with Christmas in the Country.

The Quies' country home each year has been transformed into a local version of the North Pole, complete with light displays, an outdoor sleigh where Rod, dressed as Santa, listens to the wishes of children and log cabins where Pat serves hot chocolate.

But the cherished community celebration will not happen this year as Pat, the couple's daughter and their grandson have all been diagnosed with cancer. Rod now divides his time between staying home with his wife and visiting his daughter in hospice care. The couple will find out next week whether Pat's lung cancer is remission, Rod said.

"It killed me to cancel," Rod said. "It's just meant to much to me that I've had a part in this.

"I don't do it for myself. I do it for the children"

Rod said children from as far away as Uganda, Ireland, Germany and Japan have visited Christmas in the Country during one of the 114 nights he's devoted to dressing as Santa. While hundreds of children have visited the event, Rod said he doesn't really know how much it's meant to them.

"I enjoy when people share their memories and pictures with me because I can't really see it when I'm in the sleigh with the children," he said. "I don't hear what the families talk about."

A local group is doing its best to bring a little joy to the Quies family by encouraging people to send them letters, card and photos.

"It's been extremely important for our community, just hearing from other people always talking about taking their kids," said Michelle Magee, one of the group's organizers. "It's kind of just become a tradition for everybody to go see him every year."

The group's members knew that it would be difficult for Rod to go a year without seeing the children, Magee said.

"We were all kind of like, well, why do you have to miss the kids?" Magee said. "They can all send you a card, a letter or a picture, so essentially you don't have to miss the kids this year."

Rod hasn't seen many cards yet, but said that he would read each one that came in.

Right now, Rod's focus is entirely on his family, but he's hopeful he can put up more of his Christmas lights next year. He only had time to put up a few this year.

"I didn't even like turning the lights off at the end of the season before, and now it's dark," he said. "If I can put some lights together next year, I'd like to go at least part of the way."

Jelly Art Studio, 6 E. Stephenson St., will host a free open house to help community members make cards for the Quies family from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. Supplies will be provided, according to the business' Facebook page.